EVANSTON, Ill. – Penn State football (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) fell to Northwestern (3-1, 1-1 Big Ten), 34-13, in Ryan Field on Friday night. The Nittany Lions will face no. 18 USC at home in West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium next Saturday, Oct. 10 for the Penn State White Out.
Redshirt senior quarterback Rocco Becht produced 243 passing yards on 26-of-41 attempts and one touchdown. Redshirt senior wide receiver Chase Sowell was Becht’s top-yardage receiver, compiling 68 yards and one touchdown on five receptions. Junior wide receiver Brett Eskildsen hauled in six catches for 45 yards and senior wide receiver Ben Brahmer also tallied 45 yards on five catches. Senior running back Carson Hansen led Penn State on the ground with 19 yards and one touchdown.
Redshirt junior linebacker Tony Rojas led the defense with a career best 12 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack. Senior linebacker Kooper Ebel followed with 11 total tackles, matching his career high. Redshirt senior defensive tackle Keanu Williams also had a personal best seven tackles on the night. Freshman cornerback Josiah Zayas recorded his second-straight game with a takeaway, recovering a fumble that led to PSU’s first touchdown.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Penn State limited Northwestern to just three points on its opening drive, after pressure from Bacon allowed Rojas to take down the Wildcats’ quarterback on third down. The home team converted a 50-yard field goal to take an early 3-0 lead.
Penn State was forced to punt on its first offensive sequence and the Wildcats took advantage, adding seven points to the board. Northwestern capped a seven-play, 88-yard drive with a two-yard rush to the end zone to pull ahead by 10-0 at the 5:07 point in the first frame.
Both punting units were called upon, with Nathan Tiyce for the Nittany Lions coming to the field twice and the Wildcats punting once.
Zayas jumped on a loose ball on the next Northwestern possession to give the PSU offense optimal field position at the NU 34-yard line. Penn State turned defense into offense, converting a touchdown following the defensive play. Hansen finished off the sequence with an eight-yard open run to the house to narrow the score to 10-7 at the 10:39 mark in the second stanza.
Northwestern responded with two explosive runs to retain a 10-point advantage at 17-7. The Nittany Lions did not have an answer, executing three plays before the Wildcats’ offense returned to the field. Their stint was also brief, having to punt after just five plays. Becht and the offense had another quick appearance before Tiyce was out to punt again.
The Wildcats quickly added to the board, using just two plays to convert their third score of the night. Northwestern found the end zone with its second rushing touchdown of the game to take a 24-7 lead. Penn State had an opportunity to add points to its total before the end of the half but could not execute. Barker came on for a 45-yard field goal attempt on fourth and five but could not connect, solidifying a 24-7 Northwestern advantage at the half.
Penn State punted after three plays on the first offensive sequence of the second half. The Nittany Lions defense came up with a stop on fourth down to force a turnover on downs at their 17-yard line. Ebel had the pass breakup resulting in the turnover. Penn State’s offense did not make use of the opportunity, despite crossing over the midfield logo.
Northwestern tacked on seven points at the 1:13 mark in the third frame, extending its lead to 31-7 on a one-yard rush. On the first play of the fourth frame, Becht threw an interception to give the Wildcats’ offense field position near midfield. They didn’t make much headway, attempting another 50-yard field goal that went just shy of the cross bar.
The Nittany Lions broke their scoring drought with a 16-yard pass from Becht to Sowell to decrease the deficit to 18 points. The passing touchdown capped a 10-play drive to make the score 31-13 after a failed two-point conversion.
Northwestern added a 37-yard field goal to the board before the final whistle, making the final score 34-13 in favor of the Wildcats.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and tickets for the 2026 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU, as well as club seating in West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.GoPSUsports.com, or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.